Enterprises often encounter all kinds of emergencies in the production and operation process, such as fire, explosion, hazardous materials accidents. Emergencies often cause casualties among employees, customers and the public, or interrupt production and business activities, cause material or environmental losses, threaten the financial strength of the enterprise, damage to the enterprise's public **** image and so on. In order to reduce the losses caused by emergencies, enterprises must develop emergency plans. Enterprises to develop emergency plans can be generally divided into four major steps, namely, the formation of emergency planning team, to carry out the status quo and ability to analyze, develop plans and plan implementation, this paper will be discussed from these four aspects.
Establishment of the preparation team
Emergency response and management is not something that can be accomplished by individual departments and personnel, but rather, the preparation, maintenance and implementation of the plan should involve a wide range of departments at all levels of the enterprise. And the preparation of the plan needs to invest a lot of time and energy, so we should set up a preparation team to promote the work and learning and exchange. The formation of the team depends on the specifics of the operation, risks and resources of the enterprise.
The head of the preparation team should preferably be a senior leader of the enterprise, which can enhance the authority of the plan and promote the implementation of the work. In practice, it will often be written by a few people or two, and the vast majority of the work may be done by a few people, but in the preparation process or after the completion of the preparation, to consult with the various emergency response departments, in particular senior management, front-line managers, workers, human resources, engineering and maintenance departments, safety, health and environmental protection departments, public **** information personnel, neighboring communities, marketing and sales departments, legal advisers, financial departments, and the development of the plan. sales department, legal counsel, finance department, etc. The composition of the team is agreed upon by senior leadership in a written document, and the division of labor is clearly defined. Next the timeline and cost of the preparation can be determined.
Status quo and capacity analysis
I. Analysis of the status quo of the enterprise
1. Analysis of laws, regulations and existing plans
Analysis of national, provincial and local laws, regulations and rules, such as occupational safety and health laws and regulations, environmental protection laws and regulations, fire safety laws, regulations and protocols, seismic safety protocols, traffic regulations, regional zoning regulations, emergency management regulations etc.
Existing plans to be researched include government and corporate plans, such as evacuation plans, fire prevention plans, safety and health plans, environmental protection plans, security procedures, insurance plans, financial and purchasing procedures, plant shutdown and closure regulations, employee manuals, hazardous materials plans, safety evaluation procedures, risk management plans, capital investment programs, and mutual aid agreements.
2. Critical Products, Services, and Operations Analysis
Evaluating the impact of an emergency on a business and determining which systems must be backed up, relevant information includes, among other things, the equipment and facilities required for the company's products or services; the suppliers of the products and services, especially if there is only a single source; lifeline services such as electricity, water, sewer, gasoline, telephone, and transportation; and the facilities' operational requirements. critical operations, operators and equipment, etc.
3. Analysis of Internal and External Resources and Capabilities
Internal resources and capabilities required for an emergency include: personnel (firefighting, hazardous materials response teams, emergency medical services, security, emergency management teams, evacuation teams, public **** information), equipment (firefighting equipment, control equipment, communications equipment, first aid supplies, emergency supplies of necessities, warning systems, emergency power equipment, contamination abatement equipment), facilities (emergency operations centers, temporary medical areas, shelter areas, first aid stations, disinfection facilities), capabilities (training, evacuation plans, employee support systems), and back-up systems (employee payroll rosters, communications, products, customer service, shipping and receiving, information support systems, emergency power, recovery support).
In emergencies that require a large number of external resources, the necessary contacts should be established with certain units, such as local emergency management offices, fire departments, hazardous materials response agencies, emergency medical services, hospitals, public safety departments, community service organizations, utility management, contracting parties, emergency equipment supply units, insurance agencies, etc.
II. Vulnerability Analysis
Analyze the likelihood of various types of emergencies and the potential impact on the unit. Utilizing a vulnerability analysis table, a numerical system details the likelihood of an emergency, assesses the impact of an incident, and the resources required. The lower the score, the better, and the methodology is described in the table below.
Vulnerability Analysis Table
1. Analysis of Potential Emergencies
The first column of the Vulnerability Analysis Table is for all available emergencies faced by the unit, including those identified by the local Office of Emergency Management. Also to be considered: potential emergencies within the unit and in the community. The following factors should normally be considered.
Historical - Previous emergencies that have occurred in the unit and other sister units, in the community, including fires, hazardous material spills, extreme weather, transportation accidents, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, terrorist activities, failure of public **** facilities, etc.
Geographic Factors - What are the effects of the geographic conditions in which the unit is located? Please note: proximity to flood zones, earthquake fault zones and dams, proximity to hazardous chemical production, storage, use and transportation businesses, proximity to major transportation arteries and airports, proximity to nuclear power plants, etc.
Technical Issues - What are the consequences if a process or system fails? Possibilities include: fire, explosion and hazardous materials accidents, failure of safety systems, failure of communication systems, failure of computer systems, electrical power failures, failure of heating and cooling systems, failure of emergency notification systems, etc.
The human factor - what are the consequences if an employee makes a mistake? Has employee safety training been carried out? Do they know what steps to take in an emergency? The human factor can be due to the following reasons: inadequate training, lack of continuity of work, carelessness, incorrect operation, substance abuse, fatigue etc.
Physical factors - What emergencies may be due to facilities and buildings? Can the safety of physical facilities be improved? Consider the physical conditions under which the facility is built, hazardous processes and by-products, storage of flammables, equipment layout, lighting, emergency access and egress, areas adjacent to evacuation sites, etc.
Control Factors - What emergencies or hazards does the unit have controls for? Thoroughly analyze the emergency situation and consider the consequences of the following: access to restricted areas, loss of power, disruption of communication cables, breaks in major natural gas pipelines, water damage, smoke damage, structural damage, air or water contamination, explosions, building collapses, people getting stuck, chemical spills, etc.
In the Likelihood column, it indicates the likelihood of each type of emergency occurring. This is a subjective indicator, but very useful. The likelihood scale ranges from 1 to 5, with 1 being the least likely and 5 being the most likely.
2. Evaluating the potential impact on people, property and operations
Analyzing the potential impact of each type of emergency on people - injury or death. Based on the Vulnerability Analysis Table, score the impact on persons column. The scale is from 1 to 5, with 1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest.
When considering damage and loss to property, similarly rate the property column on a scale of 1 to 5. Consideration can be given to replacement property costs, temporary replacement costs, restoration costs, etc.
When analyzing potential market losses due to an emergency, enter the appropriate value in the Business Impact column. 1 indicates the lowest impact, 5 the highest. Evaluate the impacts including: interruption of operations, employee absences, loss of customers, company defaults, government fines, legal disputes, interruption of supply of core materials, and interruption of product distribution.
3. Evaluation of internal and external resources
Evaluates the preparedness of resources and capabilities to respond to each type of emergency. Score internal and external resources separately, with lower scores indicating better performance. To do this, consider the resources required for each potential emergency from its onset, through its development, to its conclusion. The following questions should be asked for each emergency:
Are the required resources and capabilities in place?
Will external resources be available when needed?
Are there other resources that can be prioritized?
If the answer is yes, proceed to the next step. If the answer is no, propose a plan of correction. Examples include: developing additional emergency procedures, conducting additional training, obtaining additional resources, developing mutual aid agreements, and entering into special contracting parties or agreements.
4. Comprehensive Analysis
The lower the total score for each emergency, the better. Even if the scoring is subjective, comparing the scores for each emergency will aid in emergency planning and prioritizing the use of resources to further target emergency response efforts.
When evaluating resources, keep in mind that community workers - police, fire, paramedics - should focus on their respective response efforts. Otherwise they themselves will victimize the emergency or fail to respond in a timely and effective manner, resulting in delays in business emergency response operations.
Developing a plan
I. Composition of the plan
1. Overview
Overview is to facilitate the understanding of the management staff, a brief overview of the emergency response plan, including: the objectives of the plan, emergency management policy, the authority of the plan and the responsibilities of the core staff, potential emergencies, and the location of the emergency response operations.
2. Elements of Emergency Management
The core elements of corporate emergency management include: command and control, communications, life safety, property protection, community safety, recovery and reconstruction, and administration and logistics. The purpose of the core elements is to protect life, property and the environment, it is the basis of the enterprise emergency rescue operations and emergency response procedures, the elements should be clear that each function to achieve specific principles and objectives, as well as the division of labor and cooperation between departments.
3. Emergency Response Procedures
Emergency Response Procedures explains how the enterprise to carry out emergency response work. To make it easier for senior management, department heads, responders, and general employees to act quickly, the plan should have an emergency response procedure checklist wherever possible.
Actions for which procedures are needed include: assessment of the current situation; protection of employees, customers, visitors, equipment, vital records and other property, especially within the first three days of the incident; and resumption of production operations.
There are many emergencies, such as a fire and explosion or natural disaster, that require the following specific action procedures: warning employees and customers, communicating with staff and the community, full evacuation of the enterprise, management of response activities, activation and operation of the Emergency Operations Center, firefighting, termination of the operation, preservation of vital records, and resumption of operations.
4. Supporting Documents
Supporting documents needed in an emergency may include: emergency telephone directory, maps of the building and site and risk situation, resource lists, etc.
Some organizations should have emergency evacuation procedures with clear routes, procedures for termination or operation of critical operations, procedures for working with employees, visitors, and contractors after evacuation, rescue and medical responsibilities, emergency reporting procedures, and core personnel and departments.
Two, the development process
1. Writing the plan
Define specific work objectives and time phased work schedule. Develop a list of work tasks to be carried out to specific personnel and time. Based on the vulnerability analysis, identify resources and problems to solve the problem. Determine the optimal structure of the overall and individual chapters of the preproposal. Assign the preproposal to each writing team member by chapter. Develop a timeline for each specific task.
2. Coordinate with outside agencies
Meet with local government and community agencies. Inform the relevant local government authorities that the company has begun to develop an emergency plan. Their advice and information may be very helpful, even if the Crown has not made a specific request. Incorporate provincial and local government requirements for emergency notification into business emergency procedures.
Determine what needs to be communicated to external agencies, including access to corporate emergency response, who to report to and how to report, how the corporation will communicate with external agencies and personnel, who is in charge of emergency response activities, and which authorities should be on the scene during an emergency.
3. Review, Training, and Revision
The first draft is distributed to the members of each writing team for review and revision as necessary.
During the second review, conduct a tabletop exercise that includes company managers and emergency managers. In a conference room, an accident scenario is designed, and all participants discuss their roles and responsibilities in responding to the accident scenario. After a thorough discussion, identify and revise any unclear or repetitive elements.
4. Approval and release
After the meeting, report to the top leaders and senior management, and release the plan after approval. Bind the plan and number one by one, issue and sign the plan. Note that emergency response core personnel should have a backup of the emergency plan at home.
Plan implementation
I. Integration into the overall activities of the company
Emergency planning must become part of the company's culture. Create opportunities to build employee awareness of emergency response; train and educate employees; test emergency procedures; mobilize all levels of management, departments, and the community to participate in emergency planning; and make emergency management a part of the daily routine.
II. Training
All people working in or visiting the business should receive training. This includes the organization of regular staff seminars or review meetings, technical training, the use of emergency response equipment, evacuation drills, full-scale drills and so on. Depending on the training target, different training methods and contents can be selected.
Three, the review and revision of the plan
Enterprise emergency plans should be reviewed at least once a year. The review should pay attention to the following questions: in the vulnerability analysis of the problems and deficiencies found in the full attention? Do all emergency management and response personnel understand their respective responsibilities? Have the risks to the business changed? Is the emergency plan updated in line with changes in the layout and processes of the business? Are the layout plans and records of the business kept up to date? Are new members trained? Does the enterprise's training meet its objectives? Are the names, titles and telephone numbers of personnel in the plan correct? Is emergency management gradually being integrated into the overall management of the business? Are community agencies and organizations properly represented inside the plan, and are they involved in its review?
In addition to annual reviews, reviews and revisions should be conducted at specific times, such as after each training and exercise, after each emergency, after changes in personnel or responsibilities, after changes in the organization's layout and facilities, and after changes in policies and procedures.